Beneath us stretches the vast, undulating Shadowwood. We've been flying for nearly an hour, yet the forest shows no sign of ending.
"Could they really have moved that far in such a short time?"
I asked, and Old Cat nodded.
"Just about."
Suddenly, Old Cat came to a halt. I followed him down toward the forest, landing in a clearing. There, I saw a black stone with a red mark on it, shaped like an arrow pointing to the right. Instantly, I sensed a ghostly power emanating from the stone, though it was so faint that you wouldn't notice it unless you got close.
"That way."
I kept following Old Cat, passing several more stones marked with arrows. Eventually, the Shadowwood vanished from sight, replaced by a vast, curtain-like darkness.
"Over there."
Old Cat pointed to a large, empty patch at the forest's edge. There, I saw a strange, enormous red ritual array—still incomplete. Immediately, I sensed that Elder Peach and Poison Dreadstar were present, though they hadn't noticed us yet.
"Should we go down?"
I shook my head, planning to keep watching for a while. The two seemed to be finishing the array. I noticed a jar at the center, covered in golden talismans.
"It looks like some kind of large ritual array. It'll probably take months to finish."
Old Cat muttered. I told him everything Thought Ghost had said before, and Old Cat gave a thoughtful smile.
"I see. If someone from the Mount Mason Order is involved, it's possible. They could open a path from this darkness to the Dao, channeling pure power, and then use an artificial body to reconstruct the flesh for the spirits and monsters, then insert the Three Souls and Seven Spirits."
After Old Cat finished speaking, he closed his eyes. After a while, he opened them again and smiled.
"Qingyuan, that's the Divine Sealing Ritual from the Mount Mason Order—an impressive technique. It gathers the scattered Three Souls and Seven Spirits and places them inside. All you need is forty-nine days, and they'll be fully restored. Let's go down; there's no solution just watching from here."
I gave a quiet response and drifted down, while Old Cat hid himself.
With a whoosh, I landed inside the array. Instantly, Poison Dreadstar and Elder Peach, who had been working on the ground, turned to look at me in surprise.
"How did you find this place?"
Elder Peach asked, puzzled. Poison Dreadstar immediately floated into the air, forming hand seals, while I shook my head.
"I'm not here to cause trouble for you. There's no need to fight—here in this darkness, you're no match for me. The Dark Power will swallow all your strength."
As I spoke, I slowly walked toward Elder Peach. He released his grip on the Peachwood Blade.
"Sorry, Ethan Zhang. I didn't want it to come to this, but she's my friend. When she asked me for help, I started preparing."
"I have no grudge against spirits and monsters. If I had to say..."
"Spirits and monsters?"
For an instant, Elder Peach's eyes widened in surprise, and a chill ran up my spine.
"Master Taoist, who exactly are you trying to resurrect?"
"Irene Yi."
I immediately looked up at Poison Dreadstar in the air, but she had vanished—her presence was completely gone.
With a whoosh, Old Cat appeared at my side.
"That woman is already gone."
"What's going on, Master Taoist? Weren't you trying to resurrect spirits and monsters?"
I asked urgently, and Elder Peach shook his head.
"That one—dead is dead, nothing to regret. The person I want to save can only be brought back in this darkness. That's what the spirits and monsters told me, and my own tests proved it works."
"Then what about the thought collected by Thought Ghost from the spirits and monsters?"
Elder Peach looked at me in confusion.
"Ethan Zhang, when Irene Yi died, I found a way to preserve her Three Souls and Seven Spirits. I just hoped one day to bring her back. As for that spirits and monsters guy, all I feel is hatred."
Suddenly, I remembered how my thought had returned to this darkness, to an earlier time. Elder Peach was entangled with the spirits and monsters, asking about something. I spoke up, and Elder Peach tilted his head, shaking it sadly.
"These are private matters, Ethan Zhang. Please don't ask."
Only later did I learn that Poison Dreadstar had been secretly helping Elder Peach, letting him use his spirit to send me directly into past thoughts, slowly gathering Irene Yi's essence. Poison Dreadstar never mentioned anything about the spirits and monsters.
All of this was planned in advance. Poison Dreadstar's true goal was to resurrect the spirits and monsters, so she used Elder Peach.
Elder Peach sat on the ground, quietly gazing at the distant forest. His expression grew darker and darker.
"That man killed his own wife with his own hands. Someone like the spirits and monsters is absolutely unforgivable."
I stared silently at Elder Peach. If the array isn't completed now, Irene Yi sealed within can't be revived. But bringing her back also means the spirits and monsters might return—a truly difficult choice.
Elder Peach stood up and looked at me with determination.
"I'm sorry, Ethan Zhang. I know the spirits and monsters are your enemy, and they're mine too. But if I don't do this, Irene Yi can't come back. It's a wish I've held for years—it's the only reason I'm still alive, when I should've died long ago."
I nodded. Elder Peach staggered over, picked up a cinnabar brush from the wood, and resumed drawing talismans. I watched in silence. I couldn't blame Elder Peach for anything, and Poison Dreadstar had used some method to hide herself. We couldn't just stand guard at the edge of this darkness—once we left, Poison Dreadstar would surely reappear.
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"Long ago, I cared deeply about life and death, and did things I can't forgive myself for. But now, it's different—life and death mean nothing to me. I just want to finish what needs to be done. Even if I die in this darkness, it'll be worth it."
"You truly love that woman."
I said, but Elder Peach didn't respond—he just kept working. Old Cat chuckled nearby.
"What should we do, Qingyuan?"
I nodded. Elder Peach was an upright man. In those memories, I saw the spirits and monsters repeatedly learn things from him, then create new techniques, and eventually establish the Ghost Mound—maybe Elder Peach played a part in that.
"Ethan Zhang, will you listen quietly to what I have to say?"
I gave a quiet response. Old Cat floated away in silence.
"Thank you."
Elder Peach bowed to someone behind me, while Old Cat laughed and quickly vanished.
"When you return, I hope you'll tell my disciples a few things."
"Of course."
Elder Peach sat cross-legged on a stone in front of me.
"Qingyuan, you have some connection to the Dao Sect. I can sense certain things on you—it's the aura of the Dao Sect. That's why I trust you."
Elder Peach began to speak slowly.
Long ago, when Elder Peach turned one hundred, he knew his days were numbered. That's when members of the Immortality Society appeared before him and told him about a life extension ritual he'd never heard of—a method his own master had never taught him.
Knowing his death was near, Elder Peach began to ponder. He still hadn't found a way to resurrect Irene Yi, and spent his days drifting between good and evil.
In the end, Elder Peach made his choice—he wanted to keep living. He started searching for suitable candidates to steal lifespan from. One by one, those whose life force he took died young.
At this point, Elder Peach's voice grew low and somber.
"These are the two things that have tormented me all my life. This method has long been lost in our Mount Mason Order, but the Immortality Society recorded it. I have one more request, Ethan Zhang."
"Please speak, Master Taoist."
Elder Peach looked at me with icy eyes.
"I'll tell you how to recognize someone who has used the life extension ritual. If any of my disciples use this technique, kill them."
I swallowed hard. Elder Peach's expression was serious.
"You know, Ethan Zhang, the reason those Immortality Society people live so long is because of this life extension ritual. Over a hundred years ago, I returned to the Daoist mountain and found the records—this was a technique of our sect. Because of me, it leaked to the spirits and monsters, who improved it and let the Immortality Society steal others' lifespan to survive."
I smiled and shook my head.
"Master Taoist, live well."
With that, I stood up and slowly floated away.
"If you ever need help, just let me know."
I pulled out a black Ghost Thread and handed it to Elder Peach. He looked at me in surprise.
"I don't want to know about the life extension ritual, Master Taoist. The one you love is right here, by your side. Why not look forward to spending happy times together once she's alive again?"
Elder Peach lowered his head and gave a bitter smile, shaking it.
"This technique comes at the cost of a person's life, and it must be someone from the Mount Mason Order. So, once Irene Yi is revived, I'll die here in this darkness. Thank you, Ethan Zhang. I appreciate your kindness."
As Elder Peach spoke, he slowly let go of the Ghost Thread in his hand. I quietly looked up.
What is the right thing to do? I don't know, and I can't understand.